Choosing Better Roofing

When something breaks on your home, you might be tempted to find the cheapest alternative instead of investing massive amounts of money. However, sometimes the more expensive choice is the better one. A few years ago, I realized that we needed a new roof. After doing a little research, I chose inexpensive shingles and nails. After the new products were installed, I could tell that there was a problem. Fortunately, a roofer friend of mine spotted the trouble and helped me to repair my home. This blog is all about helping you to decode roofing materials, so that you can avoid problems down the road.

Prepare for Winter Early: Fall Home Maintenance You Should Get Started On

Posted on:
25 August 2015

The autumn season is just around the corner, and as the weather changes so do your priorities in home maintenance and preparation. With the coming of fall comes the promise of winter, a time of year that can wreak havoc on your home if you are not well-prepared. So, as the weather begins to turn crisp and the fall leaves begin to change color, get to know some of the home maintenance tasks you should get started on to make your winter season uneventful (when it comes to home maintenance and repairs, at least).

Roof Inspections and Repairs

One of the areas of your home that can be most adversely affected by winter weather is your roof. As such, it should be one of your primary focuses when it comes to home maintenance in the fall.

The first thing you will want to do is climb up on your roof and have a look around. If you have a standard shingle roof, you will want to look for any shingles that are cracked, missing, curling up at the edges, or otherwise damaged. These will need to be replaced before winter to prevent further damage to shingles and the underlying structure.

If, on the other hand, you have a foam roofing system, you will want to look closely for any unevenness or bubbles in your roof. This is a sign that your roof's waterproof coating has worn off and water has seeped into the foam. Also, keep an eye out for holes throughout the roof or a separation of the foam from the edges of your roof.

Once you have taken a look at your roof, you can call a roofing contractor to perform any necessary shingle repair or contact a company like Urethane Foam Consulting & Services to fix your foam roof. Either can also perform a thorough professional inspection of your roof to ensure your roof will make it through the winter months.

Check Your Gutters

In addition to your roof, your home's rain gutters will need to be in good shape throughout the fall and winter. Debris that could accumulate in your gutters throughout the fall can freeze and get stuck in there during the winter.

Not only can this cause your gutters to overflow and leak, but the leaves and other debris may rot or cause further damage to your gutters. The more debris frozen in your gutters, the heavier those gutters become. This could cause them to separate from your roof or fall down completely, doing damage to the side of your home as well as the roof.

So, in the fall, clean out your gutters frequently, especially as the first freeze approaches. You may also want to consider installing permanent gutter guards designed to allow water and very small debris into your gutters while blocking out larger leaves, branches, and other debris.

Now that you know where to start your fall home maintenance tasks, you can be sure that your preparations for winter begin early and get your home in the best possible shape. So, get started as soon as possible.